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Aug. 30, 2001
Beijing, China – Controlling the game from start to finish, the USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team (6-1) easily defeated Lithuania (5-3), 70-49, to earn a spot in the gold medal gameagainst China (6-1) Aug. 31 at 7:00 p.m. at the Capital Gymnasium.
“Our pressure defense bothered Lithuania a little bit and we were able toget a good lead to start the game which we never really relinquished,” saidUSA and University of Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan. “We had to preparevery hard for Lithuania today. We knew they had very good players and wewere very concerned about their inside out game. We had to prepare thismorning for their offensive game because they are such a great offensiveteam. We spent most of our time on how to defend them because they spreadthe floor so well.”
In the game’s first 54 seconds, the Lithuanians were held to the USA’s sideof the court as the Americans went on a 7-0 scoring run and forced twoLithuanian turnovers. Nine points from Tennessee’s Kara Lawson (Alexandria,Va.) put the USA squad ahead 18-9 at the end of the first period. AyanaWalker (Louisiana Tech / Houston, Texas) contributed 13 points in the secondquarter, while grabbing a game-high eight rebounds throughout the game.Lithuania pulled within five points of the USA, 28-23, with 2:23 to go inthe first half, but that was as close as they would come as the USA womenresponded with a 9-2 run to end the half with a 37-25 advantage overLithuania.
In the second half, the USA bench took over, extending the Americans’ leadto 21, 57-36, at the end of the third quarter. Lindsey Yamasaki (Stanford /Oregon City, Ore.) sank three 3-pointers while Caton Hill (Oklahoma / Ada,Okla.) recorded five points and five rebounds. The USA team went up by asmany as 23 points with 3:44 to go, 67-44, before sailing in for the 70-49win.
“It’s hard to play four games in four days,” said Lawson. “You have tocredit our subs today. Caton (Hill) had a great game and then Lindsey(Yamasaki) came in and played well along with Shaq (Williams). That’s thestrength of our team – depth. We’re able to wear teams down and pull away. I’mjust happy to be on a team with 12 solid players which we’ll need to winthe gold.”
Four USA players scored in the double digits as Walker tallied 15, Yamasakiscored 13 and Lawson and Jenny Roulier (Colorado / Englewood, Colo.) added11 and 10 respectively. The USA stole the ball 14 times while Lithuania cameup with only four steals.
“We set our goal when we started out in Colorado that we wanted to come hereand get the gold medal,” said North Carolina State’s Carisse Moody (RockyMount, N.C.). “We have one more game to go and hopefully we’ll come out withthe win.”
“We’ve been here for three weeks so I think our team is just really excitedto be right there in the gold medal game which was our goal all along,”added Lawson. “We have a great opportunity and hopefully we’ll takeadvantage of it.”
The USA and China have played each other twice in the past two weeks withthe Americans winning both games. The first meeting was on Aug. 16 inZhangjiagang, China where the USA women defeated the Chinese 92-89 in thefinal game of the Dong Du Cup. The teams met again on Aug. 28 in thequarterfinal round of the World University Games where the Americans earnedan 89-78 victory.
“China has an excellent team and they are very well balanced inside andoutside,” added Ryan. “They have excellent players and an excellent coach.They will be well prepared for us. We are going to be excited and preparedbecause this is the gold medal game. We will be working very hard tomorrowmorning to get ready to play in the game.”
Ryan is assisted by University of Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder and EastCarolina University (N.C.) head coach Dee Stokes.
The bronze medal game features Lithuania and the Czech Republic (5-2) at3:00 p.m.
The World University Games, held every two years and organized by theInternational University Sports Federation (FISU), is a multi-sportcompetition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28 (bornbetween Jan. 1, 1973 and Dec. 31, 1983) and who are, or have been within thepast year, a student at a college or university. The USA Women have enjoyedoutstanding success in the World University Games and have earned 11 medalsin 12 appearances, including four golds, six silvers and one bronze medal,and have compiled an overall record of 74-15 (83.1 winning percentage) sincebeginning World University Games play in 1973. In the last competition,which was held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the U.S. finished with a 4-2record and the silver medal. The USA Women last earned the World UniversityGames gold in Sicily in 1997.